The present invention relates generally optical switching devices for selectively reflecting or transmitting laser radiation, and more particularly to system and method for tuning a material to selectively induce transparency therein at a preselected laser frequency.
In accordance with the invention, a material having a ground state and closely spaced first and second excited states is selected wherein the transition dipole moment between the ground state and first excited state is parallel to the dipole moment connecting the ground state and second excited state. The material is irradiated with laser radiation of frequency related directly to the transition frequencies of the material from the ground to the first and second excited states. After a short time the material becomes transparent to the irradiated frequency.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide system and method for selectively inducing transparency to laser radiation in a material.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an optical switching device comprising a material in which transparency to laser radiation is selectively induced.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent as a detailed description of representative embodiments proceeds.